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Police say claims by PC Rathband's family 'unjustified'

Northumbria Police's chief constable has rejected criticism of her force from the family of PC David Rathband, who hanged himself 20 months after being blinded by Raoul Moat. A coroner at an inquest into his death today ruled he took his own life.

Mr Rathband's wife Kath, who is mother of 21-year-old Ash and Mia, 15, told the hearing her husband had several affairs with women, but his last with Lisa French, a survivor of the London bombing, ended their marriage.

Giving evidence, Ms French told the hearing Mr Rathband had expressed suicidal thoughts to her, but that he did not want to go through with it.

"He fought bravely and courageously for the whole six months that I knew him," she said.

She had been worried about his welfare and had recommended he needed very specialist support to get over the trauma, she said.